The Skip Hop Dash was one of my favorite bags when toting things around with Pooky (review here). Unfortunately, the black lining of the bag really got to me because everything disappeared into this dark hole when it went into the bag. Although I loved its size, sturdiness, and organizational design, I eventually stopped using it because of the “black hole” factor. Apparently, this has been fixed with lighter color linings in the improved design of the Skip Hop Dash Deluxe model.

With the arrival of Baby Brother, I was on on the hunt again for a diaper bag, and I kept coming back to the Skip Hop bags. However, with the dismal state of the economy, I wanted a cheaper alternative. Skip Hop now makes a line of diaper bags for Target stores called Spark. I decided to check them out and ended up purchasing the Cargo Tote
(pictured in the middle in the above image). Skip Hop diaper bag prices start at $54. The Spark bag I purchased was only $29.99.

The Spark Cargo Tote is a great bag! I’m a light diaper bag packer, and this bag is a perfect medium size bag that fits items for both my newborn and toddler (change of clothes for both, diapers for baby, bib, wipes case, sippy cup, changing pad, burp cloth, plus room for more). It has a bright orange lining which is perfect for finding things inside the bag. The inside has two large pockets on either side and the nifty stroller straps are contained in pockets on the inside gutter so they’re always available but not in the way. I love that this bag has both tote handles and a longer detachable strap so you can wear it across your body as a messenger bag. I leave the strap on at all times, and it doesn’t get in the way. There are two mesh bottle pockets on each side, a large external slip pocket on the back of the bag for the changing pad, and a small zippered pocket on the front for mommy items. In addition to being daddy-friendly, it also stands up on its own and doesn’t tip over when full.

The Spark Cargo Tote has been a wonderful everyday diaper bag that can be had for a great price. Although I opted for the cargo tote so that both Josh and I could carry it, the other Spark bag styles I saw at Target (pictured above) seemed like great choices as well.